What is the difference between kids that achieve academically in math and science and pursue career in those fields and those that don't? The difference is their academic preparation and exposure to the field during their K-12 educational experience. Many children that have an interest and the intellectual capacity to pursue science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) careers, don't do so because they aren't academically prepared to major in STEM disciplines in college.
I have my own personal theory on student learning and achievement in STEM, how school systems operate and a myriad of other topics related to math and science education in our country. As a STEM educator, I'm constantly thinking about what causes children to have an interest in math and science and eventually pursue careers in those fields. We all know that in math and science you are constantly asking and answering questions and solving problems; so children that are interested in math and science are probably naturally inquisitive. However, I also believe that children have a naturally inclination to certain subject areas, hobbies and interests. So I think it is important for parents and educators to work together to find out what those are for each child and expose and encourage them in that.
One of my favorite educators, Marian Wright Edelman said "Parents have become so convinced educators know what is best for children that they forget that they themselves are really the experts". I firmly believe in this quote, because I recall a story of my mother telling me that my kindergarten teacher didn't think that I was going to do well because I didn't go to pre-K. What she didn't realize is that I had all of my formative learning experiences with my mother and aunt; because my learning was outside of the classroom I performed better than many of my peers. So if we want to ensure that our children have a strong educational foundation, feel confident in their natural talents, abilities and gifts, we must provide outside of classroom learning experiences for them.
Therefore, we must create learning opportunities for our students both inside and outside of the classroom and start those learning opportunities as early as possible. There are ways to engage kids as young preschoolers in math and science educational experiences. At that age, children are sponges and as long as the activities are hands on and fun; your child can learn a lot. Although, pre-Kindergarten is where most children's formal educational experience starts, it isn't where your child's educational experience should begin. Your child's education begins as soon as they leave the womb; therefore begin engaging your kids in learning experiences at home and in your community. In the age of technology, there are educational tools such as website, leapfrog and other educational technology to get your preschoolers engaged in learning math and science.
Once your child enters elementary school, you can't rely on the school to be the only place where learning takes place. What I have realized that in many elementary schools, students don't get a great experiences and exposure to math and science for several reasons. Some of it is due to lack of professional development with elementary teachers. Many elementary teachers don't have a strong background in math and science nor an interest in these subjects. Math doesn't suffer as much as science because math skills are tested on most standardized tests. However, not all school districts test children on what they are learning in science. There are some classrooms where children only get to do an hour of science each week. Since elementary school is where kids get their educational foundation, if they aren't exposed to science then, the chances of them having an interest in science are slim to none. Students that don't have a strong math and science educational foundation from elementary school, have a hard time achieving in middle school and high school where these subjects become more difficult and specialized.
To ensure that your child is academically prepared to achieve in math and science and pursue STEM careers; you must create a system for the home to be an extension of what is being taught in the classroom.The home being an extension of what happens in the classroom must take place at every educational level. The first step is to know what your child is learning in the classroom.. Most schools will provide information about what your child should be learning during the school year at each grade level. Some schools inform parents through newsletters, school and classroom websites or sometimes it will take you as a parent communicating on a regular basis with teachers.
Once, you know what your child is learning in school you must make steps to make sure your home is an extension of the learning that takes place in the classroom. It starts with ensuring that your child has a designated place for studying at home. Having a designated place to study at home allows your child to become organized when studying and create a place for them to work. Once a designated space is found, the next step is developing good study strategies. Developing great study strategies is critical to academic achievement because it ensures that your child masters the concepts they are learning in the classroom. It should include having your child review with you what they are learning in school daily. This conversation can be as simple as asking them to tell you what they learned that day. Knowing that you are going to ask them what they can are doing in class can be a great incentive for your child to pay attention in their classroom. It should also include ensuring that your child is doing their homework, you can either do their homework with them or just check for it daily. The final study strategy is if your child is struggling, please don't let them struggle but find academic support for them.
It is important to create as many outside of classroom learning experiences as we can for our children. The internet is a great educational tool for kids, there are websites where you can find homework help, kids can play educational games, you can learn about current research in math and science and you can find experiments to conduct at home. The next outside of classroom experiences that you should take advantage of is visiting the science museums, aquariums, planetariums and other informal educational institutions in your area. Another resource is to take advantage of programs that are offered in your community that provide students with an opportunity to engage in hands on math and science activities or explore STEM careers; most of these programs are at colleges or universities or community organizations. But you as a parent must provide the continuum of learning for your child that extends beyond the school walls into your home.
A great foundation for academic achievement and career exploration is in math and science is a partnership between parents, educators and the community. What happens in a child K-12 schooling determines if they will be prepared for college. So do everything you can to make sure your child has a strong foundation for post-secondary education and is academically prepared to pursue any career path they desire.
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